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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26229895">hostages</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Confused_Kitten/pseuds/A_Confused_Kitten'>A_Confused_Kitten</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood &amp; Manga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Related, Edward elric is bad at feelings, Gen, Light Angst, Why Did I Write This?, i have no idea how to tag this, right after ling becomes greed and the elrics end up in central, that scene in fma:b, yeah this is me venting about that, you know the one</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:07:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,109</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26229895</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Confused_Kitten/pseuds/A_Confused_Kitten</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ed knows the sharpness in the Colonel’s subtle movements and the twitch of his fingers when his team is undercover. He knows the steel in his voice and the storm in his eyes, because you can’t fight with someone you can’t trust, and it’s undeniable that Ed trusts that damn bastard.</p><p>And right now, he recognizes the tension in the way Mustang holds himself, the anger boiling just beneath the surface, and the cold look in fiery eyes. </p><p>Something is wrong, and King Bradley has the nerve to smile at what he's done.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edward Elric &amp; Roy Mustang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>98</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>hostages</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It’s always been clear that Mustang’s men aren’t exactly your standard team.</p><p>They run like a well-oiled machine, smooth and quick. A loaded gun ready to fire, or maybe a transmutation circle, each stroke purposefully placed.</p><p>But those delicate strokes have been ruined, the gun jammed.</p><p>It's taken three years but Ed has slowly learned to read Mustang, slowly learning each and every crack in Mustang's mask and what they meant. He may not be as good as reading Mustang as the lieutenant, and he doubts he ever will be, but Ed is by no means bad at it. </p><p>But Ed knows the sharpness in the Colonel’s subtle movements and the twitch of his fingers when his team is undercover. He knows the steel in his voice and the storm in his eyes, because you can’t fight with someone you can’t trust, and it’s undeniable that Ed trusts that damn bastard.</p><p>And right now, he recognizes the tension in the way Mustang holds himself, the anger boiling just beneath the surface, and the cold look in fiery eyes. </p><p>Something is wrong, and King Bradley has the nerve to smile at what he's done.</p><p>“Colonel?” He asks, masked concern slipping into his voice. “What’s going on?”</p><p>Everything about the man is cold, freezing where it’s supposed to be warm and harsh where it’s meant to be soft, and something is so, so <em> wrong. </em>“Where should I begin.” Mustang says, his voice low. “Fuery’s been shipped south, Falman’s been sent up north, and Breda’s been reassigned to the west. Lieutenant Hawkeye is now a personal assistant to the Fuhrer.”</p><p>And when the words fall, Ed <em> knows. </em></p><p>As far as Ed has managed to figure out, the team is all the people Mustang has. They're friends and family and co-workers all at once, and that is how it's been for as long as Ed can remember.</p><p>Mustang collects people and keeps them close. </p><p>Spending any quantity of time with the Colonel’s team makes that glaringly obvious. If anyone paid attention to the man behind the <em> Hero of Ishval, </em>a name Ed knows Mustang absolutely hates, then they’d realize that every person Mustang surrounds himself with is something else. </p><p>Hawkeye is one of the best sharpshooters in the military, <em> obviously, </em> and Havoc, before his injury, was one hell of a fighter. Breda is underestimated constantly, and yet, he was more observational than almost anyone Ed had met before, and Falman? Ed would <em> kill </em>to have that kind of memory. Fuery is the one he’s spent the least time with, but he’s a communication expert.</p><p>And now that close knit team is separated, split all across Amestris in what can only be described as a hostage situation, and there’s nothing he can do about it.</p><p>And there’s <em> plenty </em>that Ed wants to do about it. </p><p>God, he wants to scream and shout and ask Bradley why but he already knows the answer to that, doesn’t he? </p><p>Bradley wants them vulnerable, wants them open to attack, wants a way to force them into compliance, and what better way to do it than their people?</p><p>Ed wants nothing more to punch in his smug face.</p><p>But Fuhrer King Bradley only smiles. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Colonel.” Ed says, the moment they’re alone. Al’s gone to call Winry, had told Ed to do it, but he needs to do this first. He needs to know Mustang’s plan, because while him and his brother are military, they can escape Bradley’s knowing gaze. </p><p>If Mustang were to leave Central, who knows what the homunculus would do. </p><p>So it’s up to Ed to make sure Mustang doesn’t do anything stupid, like sticking his nose into <em> more </em>things he shouldn’t know. Granted, that seems about as likely as Ed suddenly not getting into fights.</p><p>And it’s not like he’s concerned about the bastard, he’s <em> not. </em></p><p>… Okay, so maybe he’s a little worried. </p><p>“Yes, Fullmetal?” Ed has never heard the man sound more tense, and given the amount of times he’s pissed Mustang off, that’s saying something.</p><p>The silence between them is grating, an unnecessary wait on already burdened minds. They aren’t supposed to be silent, and Ed <em> hates </em>it. His relationship with Mustang is anything but, loud and explosive and strange, but never quiet.</p><p>So, Ed forces himself to speak. “They’ll be okay, your team.” Hearing a sharp breath, he keeps going. “They’re all smart, and besides, every one of them is a fighter. They’re not going to go down without a fight.”</p><p>When Mustang finally relaxes, it’s a slow, subtle thing. His shoulders fall just the slightest bit, his breaths even out, his fingers stop itching to snap. Ed sees this, and can’t stop the relief that flows through him.</p><p>“I suppose you’re right,” Mustang says, flashing Ed a plastic smile. “They’re more than capable of handling themselves.”</p><p>And what else is there to say? Because Mustang has thrown up every single wall in his mind, and Ed knows why.</p><p>After all, the Homunculi have already killed one of his people who was in their way, and what was stopping them from killing another? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.</p><p>Maes Hughes was one of the smartest people Ed has ever met, and one of the kindest. </p><p>That didn’t matter to the Homunculi.</p><p>“Don’t do something stupid, Fullmetal,” Mustang says, his dark eyes locked onto him, and Ed can see the protectiveness behind the mask of indifference. </p><p>Ed waves dismissively. He <em> could </em>promise to be careful or promise that he’d try not to get into trouble, but it’s not a promise he’ll be able to keep. “Right back at you, Colonel.”</p><p>Mustang rolls his eyes, and while Ed can’t quite hear the words he says under his breath, he guesses it’s some kind of curse. “I’m seriously, Ed, I won’t have another one of my people in danger, and that includes you.”</p><p>Dammit. Now he <em> has </em>to be up front about this emotional stuff. Equivalent exchange, and all. “Yeah, alright. I don’t make promises I can’t keep, so I won’t promise that I won’t get into trouble, because we both know that it's going to happen.”</p><p>Mustang gives him a <em> look, </em> and if he didn’t know any better, Ed would think the man was glaring at him. He <em> does </em>know better, though.</p><p>He turns to leave, because he really does need to find his brother and get the hell out of Central. He looks back over his shoulder, just before he leaves the room. “And Colonel?” Mustang meets his gaze, his posture attentive. “Don’t be an idiot.”</p><p>As the door closes behind him, Ed thinks he catches a glimpse of a smile playing across Mustang’s face.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Long time, no FMA:B. Or in which, my brain apparently needs to have an FMA fic in the works at any given time, because since I posted my last one, I've had two ideas for one-shots, including this one, and motivation to rewrite my FMA multi-chapter fic. </p><p>Anyways, I'm not really sure if I like the way this turned out, but hey, might as well get it out here, right? I realized like halfway through it that Al was nowhere to be seen. So, if you like Roy and Ed bonding, whether you want to read this as pre-relationship or gen, this is the place to be. :3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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